Onomichi passing on shipbuilding techniques
to the rest of Japan
Innoshima Technical Center
The Innoshima Technical Center is a career training school established in 1999 as a
joint effort by the public and private sectors, namely the government and theshipbuilding and marine equipment industries, with the goal of 'fostering humanresources for the next generation' and 'passing on specialized knowledge and skills' of
the shipbuilding and marine equipment industries, core industries of the Onomichi,
Innoshima region.
The City of Onomichi and shipbuilding and marine equipment companies around
Onomichi have an operating committee, whose office is located in the Shimaokoshi
section of the City of Onomichi's Innoshima General Office. It has no training facilities
of its own, so it rents out actual facilities in operation depending on what it needs for therequired length of time to provide various types of training. Training offered is divided
into three categories, namely specialized skills, technology, and safety (see chart). The
number of students that enlist in the courses is rising each year, and there have evenbeen students from outside of the Onomichi area, from regions such as Hokkaido. Thusfar, 3,226 students have undergone training (as of June 2012).
The institute received approval as a 'Joint Certified Vocational Training School', thefirst ever amongst Japan's shipbuilding and marine equipment industry, from thegovernor of Hiroshima in January 2001. Given the high corporate retention rate of those
who have undergone training and the cost-benefit performance of the training, it hascome to be called the 'Innoshima Model for Human Resources Training', and hasreceived high evaluations from all over the country.
In order to spread its training know-how and employ the Innoshima Training Center
business model throughout the country,
the Shipbuilding Technique Development
CenterwasestablishedwithinCooperative

AssociationofShipbuilders(CAJS)

withtheJapanfinancialsupport from the Nippon Foundation andthe Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport & Tourism (MLIT) in fiscal
2004, and using that support, similar

training centers have been established in Imabari, Usuki, Saiki, Yokohama, Nagasaki,
and Aioi. The Innoshima Training Center's efforts now reach across the entire country.
In recognition of such efforts, it was awarded the Hiroshima Governor's Award (Awardfor Excellence as an Accredited Career Training Group) in 2005, and theHealth, Labor & Welfare's Award (same as previous) in 2011.
Contact information:
Innoshima Technical Center Operating Committee Office
Chairperson: Kimihiro Akiyoshi
7-4 Innoshimahabu cho, Onomichi City, Hiroshima 722-2392
City of Onomichi Innoshima General Office, Shimaokoshi section
Phone: +81-845-26-6212
Fax: +81-845-22-3212
E-mail: insm.okoshi@city.onomichi.hiroshima.jp
Homepage: http://www.city.onomichi.hiroshima.jp/itc/index.html
Innoshima Technical Center Office2418-2 Innoshimahabucho, Onomichi City, Hiroshima 722-2323
Hitachi Zosen Innoshima yard, former general ship office, 2nd floor
E-mail: innoshima.gijutsu@ia6.itkeeper.ne.jp

Minister ofTraining course

Place

Beginner training

Hitachi Zosen Innoshima yard
Naikai Zosen Innoshima yard
IMEX

Intermediate skill training formetal bending

Sanwa Dock

Craftsmanshi
p courses Intermediate skill training for
welding

Hitachi Zosen Innoshima yard

Beginner skill training for pipelayingNaikai Zosen Shigei factory

Ship and ocean engineering
training

Hitachi Zosen Innoshima yard

PSPC coating efficiency
standards courseOnomichi Geiyo Culture andInformation Center

Hands-on safety training

Hitachi Zosen Innoshima yard
Naikai Zosen Innoshima yard

Technicalcourses

Safetycourses

Major focuses of the course
Students learn the foundation and basics of shipbuilding, and upon completion of training, will be an
immediate asset to any worksite.
In terms of practical technical training, students can choose from and become certified in various
fields, including shipbuilding welding, boiler welding, shipbuilding assembly, and finishing assembly.
In this course, students will aim to become proficient in the formation of complex curved plates,including the deep drawing of saucer shapes, saddle shapes, and twisted shapes by pressing andlinear heating. Upon completion, students will be able to acquire Class 2 Metal Forming
certification issued by the Shipbuilding Technical Development Center.
In this course, students will aim to become proficient in all position welding, including fillet welding
methods and butt welding methods, as well as correction methods for each.
Upon completion, students will be able to acquire their Welder Performance Certificate (requirespassing the skill performance test) issued by ClassNK, and their Class 2 Welding & Cutting
certification issued by the Shipbuilding Technical Development Center.
In this course, students will aim to become proficient in a variety of areas, from the basics of pipelaying and the handling of pipe benders, to the fabrication of finished pipes (Z-shaped pipes),
methods for attaching supports and flanges, and the fabrication and attachment of adjustable
pipes (L-shaped pipes).
Upon completion, students will be able to acquire their Class 3 Pipe Laying certification issued by
the Shipbuilding Technical Development Center.
This course will be taught in conjunction with the National Maritime Research Institute (NMRI) totrain new skilled shipbuilding workers. Classes for this course will be made possible in real-time via
a video conferencing system that connects the main NMRI campus with the Innoshima TechnicalCenter.
In this short-term intensive course, students learn the application control know-how necessaryfor dealing with PSPC (performance standards for protective coatings), including their purpose andscope, an overview of the specifications, coating selection for actual applications, application
methods, product quality management, and measurement techniques.
This course will attempt to break away from the traditional form of safety education throughinstructional materials such as textbooks and DVDs, and instead use new safety education
methods that include hands-on experiences of workplace accidents that could occur at a shipyardin an attempt to improve safety awareness and workers' abilities to avoid danger.